


Risking it all for a Fairytale Ending

by bimbofish



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bedtime Stories, F/M, The Princess and the Pea - Freeform, i wrote a fanfic for my english class
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21758527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bimbofish/pseuds/bimbofish
Summary: Sometime's Caitlin's requests can be overbearring, but he can never say no.
Relationships: Cattleya | Caitlin/Giima | Grimsley
Kudos: 8





	Risking it all for a Fairytale Ending

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this for my english class... we had to focus on setting, character, and tone i think, honestly i don't remember i just went ham. anyways if my professor is reading this hi dr. y********d i didn't want to admit that i wrote fanfic in my spare time to keep my english skills alive

The book slammed shut between his hands, maybe a little too abruptly. She flinched.

“Why are you so insistent on having me read to you every night? You’re an adult, it’s... embarrassing, Caitlin.” His disapproval made her sullen, she toyed with the edge of her comforter as she readied the same response she told him thousands of times over.

“I like it when you read to me, Grimsley.” Was her reply—short, sweet, and to the point. He groaned and reopened the book. He could never say no, no matter how many times he tried, every night he would find himself marching up the same dark staircase that lead to the same golden bedroom, surrounded by the same silk canopy that sheltered the two of them each night. The atmosphere was filled with sleep, it made him drowsy whenever he left, and that same dreariness made it a comfort to be with her.

“Does reading to me irritate you?” Her question didn’t hit him until a few moments after, eyes picking up from the book of fairytales to scan her face. Her eyes looked big, quickly looking around her room instead of focusing on him, noticing how her hands gripped the sheets a little tighter. He couldn’t help but purse his lips, forcing out a sigh, closing the book with his pointer finger as a bookmark.

“No... No, I’m sorry. I know you like it but--”

“You think it’s childish. You have other ways you like to spend your nights.” She always cut through his façade like a knife, there was no dodging a subject around her. It was true, most nights he would love to spend at a casino, drinking and gambling, surrounded by beautiful women. Lately, he found himself looking forward to reading to her. But he couldn’t deny that after she fell asleep, he would dive into his addictions. Caitlin took quick note as how he stuttered over his words, trying to laugh it off as he scratched his head in thought.

“Just say it.” She muttered, that’s when he stopped. His posture fell, his demeanor was eaten up by the night sky until he was just a placeholder of a body. He had nowhere to hide, he felt naked.

“I think it’s childish.” He answered, Caitlin rolled over so her back was turned to him. Grimsley continued, sounding more earnest than she had ever heard him. “I don’t understand why you like being read to so much and I don’t think I ever will but... It’s kinda fun, I guess.” He offered a smile of apology, she didn’t see it. She couldn’t see him at all. His elbows fell onto his knees, staring down at the closed book, hoping that somewhere on its pages held the answers of how to redeem himself.

“Can you help me understand, Cait?” He knew she didn’t like being called that, but it was so simple and endearing to him that he couldn’t help but say it. He tried to catch himself and stutter out her full name but was quickly cut off.

“Read the Princess and the Pea to me tonight.” Was all she said.

“W-What about The Boy Who Cried Wolf?” He opened the book to where he left off, finger still in the page as he flipped around to find the story she asked for.

“The Princess and the Pea is my favorite, won’t you entertain me?” Her sour words came out as a request more than scorn, he was too afraid to disobey.

“Yes, of course, let’s see...” He flipped to the page, a little after the middle of the book, and began to read. The tale of a young woman who insisted she was a princess seeking shelter for the night from a terrible storm. The royal family tested her words and beneath forty of the most comfortable mattresses in all the land laid a single pea— if she felt then then she would be proven as a princess. She complained of a poor night’s sleep and the prince instantly wanted her as his queen. As he continued, he would look up from time to time to see her tense frame begin to relax and sink into the bed, shimmering sheets rising and falling slower with time. She had fallen asleep at last. Quietly, Grimsley shut the book and leaned back in his chair.

If he had planted a pea under her mattress, would she notice? Of course she would, she was unlike any woman he had seen before. Instead of drawing upon maturity for her charm, she acted childishly—foolishly. Perhaps she was a princess, and perhaps the pea beneath her bed was a seed of worry, self-planted or one sowed by him. Maybe they farmed it together, nursing it with bedtime insecurities and she laid upon it every night. Tonight would be the first night where she didn’t ask him to stay with her after the story. He suddenly felt dizzy. The book of fairytales was placed quietly on the foot of her bed on his way out, descending the stairs less eager than other nights.

☾

The next morning as he made a point to visit the League. As he entered, he saw Caitlin descending from her battle room, lazily rubbing her eyes. He rushed to meet her at the bottom of the stairs.

“How did you sleep last night?” He asked as she floated through the gate, offering her hand to him. He raised it to his lips and kissed her knuckle without hesitation.

“Rough.” Her mumble came as no surprise to him. Rather than dropping her hand, he moved to take the other one into his hand.

“Can I read to you tonight?”

She hesitated. “Yes, don’t be late.” His hands squeezed hers in relief, closing his eyes as he savored the moment of forgiveness. She spoke again. “Why did you come here? There are no trainers coming today.”

“I came to see you.”

“Me?” He had her full attention now, he had to use her time wisely.

“Yes. I-I feel awful about last night, I wanted to make sure that you were okay, y’know, feeling alright.” He looked down at her hands, so delicate and small. Fragile.

“I’m fine.” A smile appeared on her face, he frowned at the sight of it.

“You’re a great liar.” She slid her hands from his.

“Be here on time, I’m going home. A dear friend of mine is in the area and I want to spend time with her before she leaves.” With that, she began to walk away from him, yet his eyes followed her.

“Yes, princess.” He noticed how her shoulders gently shook with laughter as she walked out into the light, two towering doors closing with a sharp echo. Now, he was alone in the great hall, silent as it was intimidating. Yes, he understood now. She was the princess and he was her pea and he wished that one day he would become her prince.


End file.
